Syracuse, N.Y. -- Good morning, Obama campers! Once word spread about how to get tickets for the president's Thursday visit to Syracuse, people began lining up at Sunnycrest Ice Rink (with their blankets and lawn chairs) to wait for today's noon opening for the ticket give away. It's first come, first served.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in New York City today with no schedule. There's a state senate hearing today in Syracuse to address issues before financially distressed cities. It begins at 11 a.m. at city hall and is open to the public.

Instead, Cuomo will greet the president in Buffalo on Thursday morning, then he's planning on helping his twin daughters get ready for their first year in college. The governor said Monday he'd miss opening day of the New York State Fair (which is also Thursday) and will send Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy in his stead. Cuomo said he would visit the fair later during its 12-day run.

The state fair starts Thursday under new leadership. Fair Director Tom Ryan has less power and familiarity than former directors. He says he's been working on managing the $18 million operations, rather than promotion.

Albany
One of the state's Democratic Party co-chairs, Assemblyman Keith Wright, is mad at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for asking Wright to carry a bill now linking generous tax breaks for a handful of developers with campaign contributions to the governor and other high-powered campaign committees.

Cuomo and the state legislature agree to raise sales taxes in some counties.The request for the higher levies comes from the counties, who get to keep the extra surcharges.

More than half a million tax returns (read: people or businesses) have moved from New York to Florida from 1993 to 2010, the Tax Foundation reported. Less than half that many moved in the opposite direction between the two states. The final score: Florida's up by 301,231, Nick Reisman reports.

Tweet of the day

There is a young child named Barack in line right now at #Syracuse's Sunnycrest park ahead of tomorrows free ticket giveway to see Obama